‘Hypervirulent’ superbug that could spark next pandemic detected in 16 countries including UK, global health chiefs warn [Video]

15:00 EDT 06 Aug 2024, updated 03:22 EDT 07 Aug 2024

A hypervirulent bacteria that is resistant to antibiotics and could potentially spark the next pandemic has been spotted in over a dozen countries, including Britain. 

In a briefing, representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO) warned about the potentially deadly impact of a little-known bacteria called Klebsiella pneumoniae.

The pathogen has been seen in the UK and US, as well as Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Canada, Cambodia, China, India, Iran, Japan, Oman, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Switzerland and Thailand.

Of these countries, 12 — including the UK — reported a specific strain of concern that has become a superbug, resistant to all antibiotics used to treat it. 

It comes as a separate report by WHO chiefs named Klebsiella pneumoniae as a ‘high risk’ pathogen that could spark the next pandemic.